Todd Monken’s call to start Deshaun Watson doesn’t just change the mood around the Browns. It reshapes the entire skill-position picture.
The offense with Watson looks nothing like what it would look like with Shedeur Sanders, even if the two quarterbacks share some of the same rough edges. Both have held the ball too long during training camp, and both have been inconsistent with accuracy. But once Watson is under center, the ripple effect hits every layer of the attack.
Quinshon Judkins may be the first player to feel it. With Watson not pushing the ball downfield and not doing it accurately when he does, defenses can crowd the line and make life miserable for the run game.
That means an extra linebacker near the box and far less room for Judkins to get past the line of scrimmage. In the first preseason game, he managed just nine yards on four carries against the Chicago Bears backups.
Even in preseason, Chicago wasn’t interested in letting the Browns run wild. The Bears sold out to stop the ground game, and they did it against Cleveland’s starters.
Dylan Sampson, though, could be the back who benefits. He’s more dangerous in space and around the edge, and Watson’s style could naturally create more of those chances.
If defenses keep loading up against the run and Watson continues to avoid the middle and deep areas, screens should become a bigger part of the offense. Sampson already flashed that skill with a 43-yard catch and run off a screen from Watson in the first preseason game.
If the Browns are living in second- and third-and-long, that kind of play could show up often.
Watson’s habit of holding the ball also creates late dump-offs to the backs, but that comes with a catch. Those throws tend to arrive at or behind the line of scrimmage, and the longer Watson extends a play, the more time defenders have to key on the backs and close down the space.
That puts more pressure on the receivers to stretch the defense and keep it honest.
First-round pick KC Concepcion looks like the kind of player who will be asked to do a lot of the dirty work early. He’s best when the ball is in his hands, which points to plenty of wide receiver screens designed to get it out of Watson’s hand quickly.
Concepcion does his best work catching the ball in stride and turning that into yards after the catch. The problem is obvious: Watson’s accuracy has been shaky, with throws that can be high, low, or behind the target.
That could make it harder to unlock Concepcion’s big-play ability.
Denzel Boston may be the receiver best suited to survive this setup. Watson can work the high point, and Boston’s size gives him a chance when plays break down.
“I think Denzel has shown that when he’s at the boundary, [he can go get] contested catches,” described Monken. Boston should also have chances on back shoulder throws that are meant to come out early while the cornerback still has his back to the quarterback.
Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond could have a tougher time. Jeudy has the quickness to find space in the middle, but if Watson doesn’t hit him early in the route, he may be harder to spot and harder to trust in contested situations. Bond, meanwhile, is built to threaten the deep part of the field, and Watson’s game tends to keep things tight to the line of scrimmage.
Harold Fannin Jr. may end up being one of the safer outlets in the passing game. Watson likes to use the tight end as a safety valve, and Fannin’s size in the middle of the field gives the Browns a pressure release if the throw is on target.
And there’s another layer here beyond production. If Watson gets the start in Cleveland, he’ll likely walk into a wave of boos after calling out the fans following last Saturday’s preseason game.
That kind of noise can pile on quickly, especially at Huntington Bank Field, and it will fall on a young group of skill players to handle it while trying to produce. This decision won’t just determine how those players are used.
It will also test how much pressure they can absorb.
In Other News...
Browns Fans Are Being Pushed Toward A Breaking Point Over Watson
The reaction around Deshaun Watson has kept spilling over since his controversial press conference and the Browns decision to hand him the starting job over Shedeur Sanders. Even from outside Berea, the frustration is hard to miss, and ESPNs Dan Orlovsky went as far as suggesting Browns fans should think twice about showing up for home games as a form of pushback. Watson later issued a public apology for his comments, but it has done little to calm the broader unease hanging over the team.
For Cleveland, the timing only adds to the tension because its first two games are on the road, leaving the home crowd waiting until Week 3 to make its feelings known in person. By then, the Browns will already have spent another stretch answering questions about quarterback choice, accountability and how much patience is left in a fan base that has already been asked to absorb plenty. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Young Talent Could Pay The Price For This QB Decision
The Browns are moving forward with Deshaun Watson as their starter for the upcoming season, a choice that immediately puts the offense under a brighter spotlight. Cleveland has made enough changes around him to suggest it wants a cleaner operation, including tweaks to the offensive line and coaching staff, but the broader concern remains whether the unit can finally get more out of a quarterback whose recent efficiency numbers have left plenty of room for doubt.
For young players trying to grow into bigger roles, that matters. Denzel Boston, Quinshon Judkins and Spencer Fano all stand to be shaped by the kind of offense Watson can support, and if the passing game stalls or the pressure issues linger, their chances to thrive could be squeezed before the season really gets rolling. The Browns are betting on continuity and upside, but the margin for error is already thin. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Secondary Suddenly Has A Roster Problem Before Week 1
The Browns secondary has spent much of training camp trying to get settled, but the group keeps running into bad luck at the worst possible time. Rookie cornerback Michael Coats Jr. was carted off the field during a recent practice after suffering a leg injury, adding another concern to a defensive backfield that has already taken hits this summer.
Coats latest setback comes after he had already dealt with an ankle injury in the first preseason game, making this his second leg issue in two weeks. Cleveland has already seen multiple injuries pile up in the secondary during camp, including a season-ending injury to Damarri Mathis, leaving the Browns with a roster puzzle to sort out with Week 1 approaching. [Read more 🡒]